Office pods don’t have to be sweatboxes: Finnish innovator Vetrospace tackles heat and stale air in soundproof workspaces
Office pods have long competed on acoustics, privacy and design. Finnish company Vetrospace is now making air quality and thermal comfort the next benchmark. Its new Cognitive Air™ system and Ambient Vectoring™ technology keep pods from overheating and filling with stale air, the conditions that wear down focus and stamina.
HELSINKI (October 20, 2026) – Finnish company Vetrospace is introducing a new intelligent Cognitive Air™ system across its lineup of office pods, incorporating patent-pending Ambient Vectoring™ technology. This innovation addresses a common issue in office pods and soundproof workspaces: stale air, rising carbon dioxide levels, and heat buildup. At the same time, it aims to maintain conditions that support concentration and cognitive performance.
Since 2017, Vetrospace has focused not only on soundproofing and customizability, but also on excellent air quality. The company aims to shift the perception of office pods from spaces used only for brief calls or short meetings to environments suitable for a full workday. While the market for office pods has grown alongside hybrid work and open-plan offices, competition within the product category has largely centered on acoustics, privacy, and design. According to Vetrospace, the next key competitive advantage for office pods is air quality and thermal comfort.
Poor air quality isn't just uncomfortable; it can also affect how we think and work. Research has linked elevated CO₂ levels and poor indoor air quality to reduced cognitive performance, particularly in tasks such as strategic decision-making and problem-solving. A study led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that cognitive performance scores were nearly 50% lower in conventional office conditions than in enhanced-ventilation environments. To address this challenge, Vetrospace has invested in airflow research and development and created its new Cognitive Air™ system. By monitoring CO₂ levels and automatically adjusting ventilation as occupancy changes, the system helps maintain fresh air and comfortable conditions, even during longer meetings or focused work.
“Pods should not be designed merely for a half-hour meeting. People often use them for demanding cognitive work, where air quality and thermal conditions must support focus. It is somewhat paradoxical that building facilities have their own indoor air standards, while office pods do not. Good indoor air quality in a building does not automatically guarantee good conditions inside a pod. Hopefully, clearer indoor air standards will soon be established for pods as well,” says Jukka Nummi, Design and Development Lead at Vetrospace.
Cognitive Air™ combines air quality measurement, automatically self-adjusting ventilation, clean filtered air, and controlled airflow into a single unified system. Adaptive CO₂ Control monitors air quality inside and outside the pod and automatically adjusts ventilation based on actual usage load. Users do not need to gauge ventilation needs themselves based on temperature or fan noise; instead, the system responds to measured conditions and optimizes ventilation to save energy. This matters because users may not notice deteriorating air quality until carbon dioxide levels have already risen to a point that can affect cognitive performance.
Vetrospace’s Ambient Vectoring™ forms a stable, directional airflow from the air exhausted by the pod, which can be directed high above obstacles. This enables the air to mix more efficiently with the surrounding room air or be directed toward the building’s own exhaust ventilation system.
“Office pods are already a growing industry, but we see substantial potential to expand their application. When pods are designed for comfortable all-day use, their use cases broaden and utilization rates rise. Our goal is not only to create better workspaces, but to raise the bar for the entire industry. We see significant opportunities for international growth as businesses increasingly recognize air quality and thermal comfort as essential elements of workplace design,” says Mikko Hannula, CEO of Vetrospace.
Vetrospace designs and manufactures its pods at its own factory in Littoinen in the Turku region. The pods can be customized by size, materials, and equipment, ranging from single-person workspaces to large conference rooms. Vetrospace’s customers include Volkswagen, major financial institutions and industrial manufacturing companies, with applications spanning the public sector, healthcare and well-being, logistics and corporate workplaces.
In the UK, Vetrospace works with Obo as its local partner, supporting architects, designers and workplace clients in specifying Vetrospace solutions for projects across the country. The partnership combines Vetrospace’s Finnish-manufactured office pods and technology with Obo’s local market expertise and project support.
Vetrospace will showcase Cognitive Air™ at Orgatec in Cologne, Germany, from October 27–30, 2026, where visitors can experience the technology firsthand at Hall 7, Stand A038–B039. As Vetrospace continues its international rollout, the company aims to establish air quality and thermal comfort as standard performance metrics for office pods alongside acoustics and privacy, helping move the industry toward spaces designed for comfortable, sustained use.
Media Contact:
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Martta Valkola
Product Marketing Lead, Vetrospace
+358 40 547 1981
martta.valkola@vetrospace.com
Vetrospace
Founded in 2010, Vetrospace is a Finnish company specializing in the design and manufacture of soundproof, customizable workspace pods. Combining Finnish craftsmanship with innovative technology, the company creates workspaces designed to support concentration, productivity, and well-being.
Vetrospace's Cognitive Air™ technology integrates intelligent ventilation, air quality monitoring, and controlled airflow to create comfortable environments designed for sustained use. Vetrospace designs and manufactures all products in Finland, with customizable solutions ranging from individual phone booths to spacious meeting and conference rooms.
Trusted by customers including Volkswagen, major financial institutions, and industrial manufacturers, Vetrospace's solutions are used across corporate offices, healthcare and well-being, logistics, public-sector facilities, and other demanding work environments worldwide.
In 2025, Vetrospace generated €5.6 million in revenue and employed 29 people.
For more information, visit: https://vetrospace.com/